Four love affairs and a prime minister

New love, old love, unspoken love, unrequited love and, best of all, first love. Directed by Richard Curtis, the same man who brought us Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones' Diary, Love Actually follows the interweaving stories several relationships and the havoc love brings to each of them. With an all-star cast, including Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson, this film can't fail.\nUnlike most romantic comedies, this movie doesn't tell the story of perfect love; instead, it tells the stories of real people, real relationships and the real problems that come with being in love. Also unlike most romantic comedies, it's actually funny. The awkward situations and unexpected turns in the story lines cause profuse laughter.\nOne of the major story lines follows the new Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) -- look out Tony Blair -- and his grudging infatuation with one of his household staff. Unfortunately, Grant can't release the schmaltzy bachelor character he's so used to playing long enough to be believable as a man professional enough to run a country. Billy Bob Thornton, however, manages to portray the unfaithful, womanizing American president from the south perfectly. No doubt he was able to find ample inspiration by just watching the news. \nThe true stand-out performance comes from Thomas Sangster, the boy playing Sam. He perfectly balances the wisdom of an old soul well aware of the world's pain and the total innocence and agony of a first love. He serves as the point of nostalgia that brings hope to the film and does so brilliantly.\nThe movie did struggle in its attempt to intertwine the many stories. While it was fun to try and figure out how everyone was connected to everyone else, the relationships were unnecessary, confusing and only half-thought out. By the end of the film, plot contrivances make for a too-convenient ending. The storyline threads conveniently get everyone in the same place at the same time so all the stories can be wrapped up at once.\nDespite its shortcomings, this movie impresses in its ability to break away from the perfectly packaged love story and explore more in-depth and complicated human experiences. It shows the joy and the pain of love in a way that gives hope while keeping feet firmly on the ground.